Wood-bending device



No. 609,69I. Patented Aug. 23, I898.

F. M. MEYER. WOOD BENDING DEVICE.

(Application filed Dec. 16.1891?) (No Model.)

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co. nnmaumo. wnumawu u r NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK M. MEYER, 0E JAMESTOWN, NEW YORK.

WOOD-BENDING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 609,691, dated August 23, 1898. Application filed December 16, 1897. Serial RIO-662,205. (N0 model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Beit known that I, FREDERICK M. MEYER, a citizen of the United States,residing at J amestown, in the county of Chautauqua and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wood-Bending Devices; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and usethe same.

This invention relates to wood-bending devices; and it oonsists,essential1y, of a dog comprising opposite slats with perforations in the ends thereof, which loosely receive metallic an gle-irons, in which the opposite ends of the piece of bent wood is fitted and held firmly after the application of pressure.

The invention further consists of the construction and arrangement of the several parts, which will be more fully hereinafter described and claimed.

One object of the present invention is to provide a device of the character specified which is adapted to hold the ends of the wood operated upon perfectly straight and prevent warping or curved bending thereof owing to intermediate shrinkage or resulting from other causes.

A further object of the invention is to facilitate bending wood in the form of slats or strips in making furniture, chairs, extensiontables, trunk-lids, barrel-staves, &c.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a perspective view of a press, showing the improved dog in connection therewith and holding a piece of wood in proper position to undergo the operation of bending. Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view, on a larger scale, of the dog, shown as holding a piece of wood. Fig. 3 is a central longitudinal vertical section of the device shown by Fig. 2. Fig. 4c is a detail perspective view of the parts of the dog, shown disassociated. Fig. 5 is a detail view of a modification of the dog.

Referring to the drawings, wherein similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate corresponding parts in the several views, the numeral I designates a pair of standards or uprights having base-=rests or feet 2, a cross-head 3, in which a screw-bearing is located, and the intermediate brace 4, on

' which is fixed a body 5, with an upper con cave surface 6. In the cross-head is adjustably mounted a clamping-screw 7, adapted to be rotated by suitable means and having a ball-and-socket connection at its lower end, with a pressing-head 8 having an under convexed contour corresponding in curvature to the upper concave surface of the said body. This construction of press is well known in the art and is shown solely for the purpose of illustrating the application of the improved form of dog. It will be understood that the form of the press may be varied at will and appurtenances supplied in connection therewith to facilitate heating, steaming, or otherwise treating the wood placed thereon and carried by the dog in the operation of bending.

The dog comprises opposite slats or bars 9, each having in the opposite ends thereof apertures 10, which receive metallic angle-irons 11, placed with their open portions inwardly and opposite each other. Thebent wood has its opposite ends placed in engagement with the angle-irons, and the tension instituted by the wood when in such position holds the parts of the dog firmly intact afterit has been operated upon by the press heretofore set forth. When the wood is placed under the press, the dog is positioned over the bed of said press, and the straight formation of the angle-irons holds the ends of the wood operated upon firmly and prevents curvature or irregular contour thereof owingto the shrinkage or the pressure instituted on the intermediate portion of the said wood. It is prefi erable in bending wood with the improved apparatus to first moisten or steam the same, and after the pressing operation is concluded the dog carrying the wood that has been bent is placed within a kiln and dried. After the drying operation, and still being held by the dog, the bent wood may be dressed or treated in any other desired manner, and this will be in accordance with the use to which the material operated upon is to be put. In removing the wood from the dog one of theangleirons is first driven through the slats or bars, and then the said Wood can be easily disconnected from the opposite angle-iron. In Fig. 5 a modification of the dog is illustrated, which consists in applying the opposite ends of a sheet 12 of galvanized iron to the angleirons 11 to keep the grain, from breaking in' stock that is cured to excess. 7

By the use of the improved device the material can be very readily bent at a comparatively small cost in View of the fact that the brace is of very simple form and can be cheaply constructed. The dog is also inexpensive in its construction, and a number of the same may be employed. One very important feature in connection with the dog is its knockdown structure, allowing a number of such devices to be compactly stored in a small space. Y

The device is especially useful in bending chair-slats; but it is equally Well applicable to other purposes, and of course the size of the press, as well as the dog, may be changed at will, and the minor details of construction may also be varied without in the least departing from the nature or spirit of the invention.

The openings in the bars 9 admit of the angle-irons being adjusted to a variety of angles, according to the size of the piece of wood to be bent or the degree of curvature to be given thereto. :lhey also render the angleirons self-adjusting as to their angle, as the angle-irons may turn in the openings.

Having thus described the invention, what isclaimed as new is 1. A dog comprising opposite slats or bars with openings in the ends thereof, and angleirons removably and rotatably fitted in said openings and adapted to receive the opposite FREDERICK M. MEYER.

WVitnesses:

FRANK E. SHEARMAN, EDWARD L. DENNY; 

